2020 Winnebago Boldt BL with Volta Power Systems Li-Ion Battery System - SOLD
2020 WINNEBAGO BOLDT SUMMARY
MILEAGE: 19,600 km (July 31, 2024)
Built on 2019 Mercedes Benz Sprinter Chassis
Top-of-the-line Winnebago Class B Motorhome
'BL' Version with rear bedroom and 2+1 sleeping
Scaled weight (one occupant, 3/4 tank fuel, 3/4 tank propane, empty water) 4,140kg / 9,108lbs. GVWR: 11,030lbs. Payload approx: 2,000lb.
Tow Rating: 5,000lbs, 500lbs tongue weight
Length: 22', 11", Height 9', 8", Width 6', 4"
Mercedes-Benz VS30 3500 Chassis giving Blind Spot Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Attention Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Cross Traffic Assist, traffic sign assist, crosswind assist, parking assist with audible, haptic and fully automated intervention in emergency situations.
3.0L turbo diesel engine gives 12L/100km economy, 700+km range.
Volta Pure3 Energy system combines a 13.5kWh Lithium Voltage battery pack running at 48V that eliminates the need for a generator, or even plugging into shore power for most trips. 3.6kW inverter gives full 30Amp service to the coach allowing the full use of the AC, Microwave and other 120V appliances and does not have to rely on an auxilliary power source. 7kW engine driven generator means the battery pack can be replenished in less than 2 hours of driving. Plugging into a 30Amp shore plug will replenish the battery in 3 hours if needed.
230W of integrated solar panels can replenish up to 1kWh per day, with provision for adding more panels.
Truma Combi + propane and electrically powered furnace and hot water system is quiet and efficient. Coleman 'Mach 10' roof mounted AC system.
MRSP (2024) $CAD 350,000/ $USD 250,000
Auction Live on PCar Market
SPORTS OR CLASSIC CAR TRADES CONSIDERED
Contact Lawrence Romanosky Lromanosky@me.com. 403-607-8625
'Class B' Motorhomes are van-based campers that are economical to operate and relatively easy to maneuver. RV manufacturers start with either a cab and chassis, panel van, or passenger van and then transform them into space-efficient RVs. The most common platforms are the Dodge Ram Promaster, Ford Transit and the Mercedes Sprinter. Winnebago and Airstream are the best known RV manufacturers, but there are dozens of others with perhaps twenty variants on the market. They range in price from about $C 100,000 for a RAM based RV with no bathroom to more than $500k for a custom built Sprinter conversion. Most have wet baths, a simple kitchen, and comfortable accommodations for two.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has the most variants as the platform is available in two different wheel bases (144" and 170") with four different payload capacities (1500, 2500, 3500 and 4,500) with two or 4-wheel drive, and turbo-diesel power. There are standard and high roof versions. The Sprinter is the only diesel powered Class B Motorhome on the market in North America. A large manufacturer like Winnebago will make a complete line up of Class B motorhomes appealing to a wide demographic.
The Mercedes Sprinter chassis has been in production since 1995 and is on its third generation (VS30) which came to North America in 2019 and underpins the Winnebago Boldt which came out in 2020. The 188hp 3.0L 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 325lb/ft of torque has been discontinued for the model year 2023 and replaced with a 4-Cylinder 2.0L turbo diesel with higher boost pressure and up to 208hp and 332 lb/ft of torque. The Boldt is built on the 170" wheelbase 3500 Sprinter chassis and is just under 23 feet long and 10 feet high.
Many of the safety systems and electronic driver aides that Mercedes has developed for its passenger cars have made it to the Sprinter platform, though not in all models. For the model year 2020, the Boldt was equipped with Distronic Active Cruise Control, Pedestrian Detection, Active Brake Assist, Attention Assist, Cross Traffic Alert, Cross Wind Assist, Blind Spot Alert and Highbeam Assist (not a complete list). These systems offer audible and visual warnings, haptic feedback, and full autonomous control for emergency braking.
Winnebago partnered with Volta Power Systems to design the Lithium Ion Battery based electrical system for the Boldt and Travato motorhomes. Volta Power Systems was started by engineers from Tier 1 Automotive suppliers who had been working on advanced BEV and PHEV powertrains. They adapted this technology for use in RVs and came up with what they call the 'Pure3' Energy system. This starts with an automotive grade 13.5kWh battery pack constructed in 4 modules and sealed in a an impact and weather-tight case. It is heated, and the voltage is carefully managed by Volta's power electronics. Charging this unit are a 58V 7kW auxiliary alternator running off the diesel engine, a 120V 30 Amp cable to attach to shore power and twin 115W rooftop solar panels. Of the 13.5kWh of total battery capacity, around 12kWh is useable. This is about 10x the battery capacity provided by the common RV fitment which are twin RV Deep Cycle Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries that are typically 80 Amp Hours (1kW) each.
This battery system is not the same thing as drop in 12V Lithium Batteries that can replace the traditional NiHM RV batteries. The drop in 12V Lithium batteries offer more usable electrical storage, but they can not charge or discharge faster than the traditional lead acid batteries because they are limited by their low voltage. A 12V system, no matter what the storage capacity, can not run appliances like a microwave or the air conditioner which run on 120V AC power and can draw up to 3kW of power. 12V can power lights, the water pump, blower motor and the electronics necessary to manage the propane powered appliances like the fridge, water heater and furnace. 12V DC power, which is the basis for all automotive electrical systems including the batteries, can not be inverted to power 120V AC 'residential' electrical outlets in any meaningful capacity.
High Voltage systems, like those found on EVs and PHEVs, are necessary to run powerful electric motors and to accept fast charging. The Boldt's high voltage Pure3 system can discharge rapidly enough to power everything in the coach, and it can charge from 0 -100% in under two hours of driving. The battery system with a 3kW inverter basically replicates the power that a 30AMP shore service provides.
When you double electrical system voltage you quarter the heat. The Pure3 Volta system has 4x the voltage of the 12V systems, generating 1/8 the heat, meaning that it can charge and discharge at a much higher rate. The high rate of safe discharge means the Pure3 system can run the AC. The high rate of charge means that it can accept 7kW from the engine driven generator and charge in under 2 hours of driving.
230w of Solar power will replenish the battery pack at the rate of about 1kWh per day in favourable conditions. More solar power can be added externally through a plug on the side of the coach.
The battery system is designed to offer full 30Amp power to the coach without being plugged in or running a generator. With a 3.6kW inverter, there is enough power to run the AC and all the appliances as if you were plugged into a 30Amp shore service.
The largest consumer of electricity in an RV is the A/C unit. The Boldt's Coleman Mach 10 non-ducted quiet AC will use about 3000W on start up and about 1,800W with continuous use. This would give maximum cooling for 6 hours if that were required. More realistically you could run the AC for part of the day and at a low setting at night which would allow for several days with full temperature control.
The most significant benefit of the large battery pack is to extend off-the-grid camping stays. The nicest camping spots are often unserviced, and generator use is generally limited to a few hours in the morning and at dinner time. With the Volta system the AC can be used anytime and anywhere. Although the Boldt has a large propane tank (16gal) you don't necessarily need it as the furnace and hot water heater are also electrically powered. There is an external outlet to supply gas to a barbecue.
Such is the demand for serviced camping spots in Alberta and BC that reserving spots at the popular spots is next to impossible, and requires booking months in advance in an extremely short window. The sites book up within minutes of being released. Most campgrounds withhold a significant portion of spots for drop ins however, though they are all unserviced. Travelling with the Boldt allows you the freedom to take unplanned excursions, or change your plans on the fly, without the stress of needing to find a serviced camping spot - you can stop anywhere, anytime and still have all the amenities of the RV functional.
The other differentiator of the Boldt is its all-season capability. Winnebago took the construction from their Revel 4x4 'Adventure' RV and applied it to the Boldt. The entire coach is insulated with automotive grade laser cut foam, and windows are double insulated. All water lines run inside the coach, and all tanks are heated. 16 gallons of propane are enough to keep the living space livable for weeks.
The Boldt's interior is characterized by high quality materials and excellent fit and finish. The 'BL' floorpan gives the added 3rd seat behind the driver which folds into a small bed. Three additional seat belts are mounted in the rear seating area to carry as many as six belted occupants. The twin beds in the rear can be joined for a large 66" x 81" sleeping space (standard queen bed is 60"x80"). For travelling, bikes or a kayak could be stored between them. Thoughtful and practical storage and convenience items abound, from a manufacturer that knows how to make the most out of a small space.
The Winnebago Boldt was introduced for the model year 2020 with a 2019 MB Sprinter Chassis. The Boldt went out of production in 2023 and last had an MSRP in Canada of $350,000.
This Boldt 70BL is a own-owner Canadian vehicle, purchased from Sicard RV in Winnepeg with a clean CARFAX and less than 18,000km. It has had two dealer services; one at 10,000km and the other at 15,000km in 2023. Apart from a few very minor pits on the bonnet and windscreen from stones, it is in as new condition. The Volta power system including Li-Ion battery pack is warrantied for 8 years from the in-service date.
Price is $CAD 165,000, vehicle located in Calgary, Canada.
The Boldt can camp off the grid for more than a week; the photo on the left is at a music festival in the interior of BC where it provided very luxurious accommodations in 30 deg + weather. The photo on the right shows the Boldt as a mobile office and air conditioned retreat for the staff of 'Drive of Champions' promoting their event all day at the Euro Car Show in Stanley park. The Volta Pure 3 Energy system can maintain power for a full week of camping, and run AC for a full day in the sun without being plugged in or using a generator.
When camping, most of the time you will spend in your RV is sleeping. The Boldt BL layout prioritizes the rear bedroom which is very cozy and the bed is as comfortable as anything you have at home.
The 23' long Mercedes Benz Sprinter chassis is big enough to have everything you need for camping, but is still manageable in the city and can be parked virtually anywhere. Bottom right photo shows it parallel parked on a residential street, a feat which is surprisingly easy with the high mounted rear camera and excellent parking guidance system.
Lawrence Romanosky is a 'carguy' (also RV guy) running a specialty vehicle repair, restoration and brokerage business out of Calgary, Canada. He and his family camp in a 1978 Silver Streak aluminium travel trailer, and were deeply impressed with the Boldt.
Lromanosky@me.com 403-607-8625
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